Vacuum cleaner



Nov. 17, 1936. L. ELL

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Sept. 8, 1934 Patented Nov. 17, 1936 PATENT OFFICE VACUUM CLEANER Lars Ell, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application September 8, 1934, Serial No. 743,314

' In Germany September A26, 1933 v 2 Claims.

My invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more particularly to means for reducing the noise caused by the operation of the motor-fan unit in a vacuum cleaner of the type wherein the motor-fan unit is mounted within a casing.

Heretofore, various means for resiliently mounting the motor Within the casing have been employed. However, the housing `which surrounds the fan rotors has been either rigidly connected to the outer casing or rigidly connected tothe resiliently mounted motor. Due to the fact that the fan housing is made of comparatively thin sheet metal it has a tendency to actas a sounding board when struck by the air placed in circulation by the fan, and I have found that the resulting noise is substantially reduced if the housing is resiliently supported with respect to both the outer casing and to the motor.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a resilient support for the fan housing, as

CII

,20 above indicated, and to make such support cheap and easily assembled.'

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the ac- 25 companying vdrawing forming a part of the specification and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view, partially in cross-section, of a vacuum cleaner including one embodiment of my invention;V

30 Fig. 2 is an end view of the vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 1 with the end cap removed;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View on an enlarged scale of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 1; and

35 Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that shown in Fig. 3, but of a different embodiment of my invention.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 reference character I designates a cylindrical cas- 40 ing, one end of which is closed by means of a member I I removably secured in place by means of spring-clips I2. Member II` may be threaded to receive a coupling I3 to which may be attached one end of a suction hose. Retained in the cas- 45 ing I0 and held in place by member II is a dust bag I4. A pair of runners I5 support casing I0 in a horizontal position above a surface.

Secured to the other end of casing I0 is a ring I6 of metal or suitable composition such as Bake- 50 lite. Ring I 6 is formed with an inwardly extending iiange I1. A ring I8 of rubber or other suitable resilient and, preferably, electrical insulating material, is retained within ring I6 and held against shoulder Il by means of a-shoulder Il formed on a retaining ring 20. Ring 20 is held in place by means of bolts 2| which engage threaded holes in ring I6 and also serve to hold an end cap 22 in place. Cap 22 is formed with an outlet opening 23 'for the discharge therethrough of air. 5

Resilient ring I8 is formed with an inner annular groove which receives an annular disc-like ring 24. Secured to ring 24 are four pins 25 which serve to support the innermost turns of coil springs 26. The outermost turns of the springs are integral with straight portions 21 which are secured to the housing 28 of an electric motor by means`of bolts 29.

Mounted on the armature shaft 30 of the motor are a plurality of fan rotors 3|, in the present case two. The right-hand rotor, as viewed in Fig. 1, is enclosed in a fan housing 32 of cylindrical shape and having an end wall 33. The opposite end of housing 32 is formed with an outwardly extending ange 34 which is adjacent to 20 the outer edge of ring 24 within the annular groove or resilient ring I8. A fan housing 35 surrounds the left-hand fan rotor and extends telescopically over the cylindrical portion of fan housing 32. Housing 35 is provided with an out- 25 wardly extending flange 36'which lies against the flange 34 on housing 32. A plurality of screws v 31 serve to fasten ring 24 and anges 34 and 36 together. It lwill thus be seen that the fan housing is mounted resiliently with respect to the casing by means of the resilient ring I8, and is mounted resiliently with respect to the motor by means of the springs 26. The motor is mounted resiliently with respect to the casing by means vof the springs 26 as well as bythe resilient ring In operation, the motor causes the fan rotors 3l to rotate at a comparatively high speed. Air is drawn in at the centers of the rotors and is thrown out at their periphery. 'I'he air thrown1 out from the left-hand rotor strikes fan housing and is guided to the center of the right-hand rotor, from which it is thrown against housing 32 and guided through and around the motor to the outlet 23. The air i's drawn in through the hose attached to coupling I3 and dust carried therewith is deposited in dust bag I4, the aircontinuing through the porous material of the bag to the inlet of the fan.

As before stated, the air striking the fan housing 32 and 35 causes them to vibrate and the thin metal of which they are constructed has a tendency to act as a sounding board. However, the provision of the resilient ring I8 prevents the 55 transmission of these vibrations to the casing l0 of the vacuum cleaner and thus lessens to a marked degree the noise audible outside the casing. The resilient manner of supporting the fan housings also serves to deaden their effect as rsound boards which further reduces the noises produced. The vibrations set up in the motor itself are absorbed by the springs 26 as well as by the resilient ring i8.

A still further reduction in'the noisev may be eflected by mounting the plurality of fan housings resiliently with respect to `each other as well as with respect to the outer casing and motor. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 4. The diameter of the cylindrical portion of the housing 32a is slightly less than that of housing 35a, whereby the two housings are not in contact with each other. A resilient washer 40 is placed between flange 34a on housing 32a and flange 36a on housing 35a. Also, a similar washer 4I may be placed between flange/34a. and ring 24. The provision of washers and 4| prevents metal-tometal contact between either of the fan housings and any other part of the vacuum cleaner and serves to materially reduce the noise caused by the vibration of the housings.

While I have shown and described two more or less specic embodiments of my invention, it is to be -understood that this has been done for purposes of illustration only and that the scope is to be limited only by the appended claims viewed in the light of the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. A vacuum cleaner including, in combination, a casing, an electric motor having an armature shaft, an annular supporting member, resilient means for securing said motor to said member, a fan rotor on said shaft, a housing around said rfan rotor having a cylindrical portion, `an outwardly extending annular flange on said cylindrical 'portion adjacent to said annular supporting member, a ring of resilient material for supporting said annular supporting member and said annular flange, and means for securing said ring in said casing, whereby the motor and housing are resiliently supported with respect to the casing and with respect to each other.

2. A vacuum cleaner including, in combination, a casing, an electric motor having an armature shaft, an annular supporting member, resilient means for securing said motor to said member, a plurality of fan rotors on said shaft, a housing around each of said fan rotors, said housings having cylindrical portions spaced in radial direction from each other, an outwardly extending annular ange on each of said cylindrical portions, resilient washers between said anges and between one of said flanges and said supporting member, a ring of resilient material having an inner groove for receiving said annular supporting member,

said annular flanges and said washers, an'd means for securing said ring in said casing.

LARS ELL. 

